Apollo 11 landing site, a cosmic Eagle and a blue-white star: 4 night sky targets to celebrate America 250
Bias ratings based on AllSides + Ad Fontes Media. Agreement % = sources covering this story. Always read multiple sources and think critically.
The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of the night sky.
For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review Our celestial sightseeing targets run the gamut from lone stars and constellations to historic lunar landmarks and an uncannily shaped nebula — some of which will require a small telescope or a camera to truly appreciate. If you're new to the night sky, then you may want to check out our roundup of the best stargazing smartphone apps, which will help you navigate to specific targets using augmented reality technology. One of America's finest moments came on July 20, 1969, as Apollo 11 astronauts Neil A.
took humanity's first steps on the surface of Earth's moon. Here's how to spot the region of the moon that contains the Apollo 11 "Tranquility Base" landing site with the naked eye on the weeks surrounding a full moon. First, find the dark expanse of Mare Tranquilitatis darkening a swathe of the moon's eastern limb close to the equator, where ancient lava flows once filled networks of impact basins before solidifying to create vast basaltic plains.
The Apollo 11 landing site is located on the southwestern shore of the Sea of Tranquility, between the Sabine and Moltke impact craters, which can be spotted with the aid of a small telescope. You can also search for the Apollo 11 backup landing sites using our handy guide, or even attempt to find where each Apollo-era mission touched down on the lunar surface. The United States' relationship with the night sky dates back to its founding.
After all, the stars depicted on the nation's earliest flags were intended to symbolize the birth of a new constellation, with each representing one of the 13 original colonies that formed the early union, according to the Smithsonian Institution. You can honor that spirit on the nation's semiquincentennial anniversary by finding a star whose light left its surface around the same time that the United States declared its independence! The blue-white double star system Alpha Virginis — known better as Spica — is located roughly 250 light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo.
As such, the light cast out from its surface some 250 years ago is only now reaching Earth, having traveled for centuries through the near vacuum of space at the speed of light — a blistering 186,282 miles per second (299,791 kilometers per second).
Think About This
What questions does this story raise for you? Talk with your family: Why does this news matter? Who is affected? What might happen next? Is there anything you can do?
- Ask your child: “What do you think scientists discovered about apollo landing? What part surprised you most?”
- Explore together: Search for “apollo landing” on NASA Kids’ Club, DK Find Out, or National Geographic Kids for more kid-friendly facts.
- Critical thinking: Science findings can change as more research is done. Ask: “How would scientists test this? What would prove them wrong?”
KiddieDaily is built for families — balanced sources, no agenda, no ads. Always read the original source and think for yourself.
Original Sources
🔍 Want to verify this story? Check it on Google Fact Check Explorer →
More stories: Kid News · Archive · Fact Check